title: Amniotic membrane as an in vitro model for endometrium-extracellular matrix interactions.
abstract: The aim of the study was to develop an in vitro model to study the interaction between endometrial cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) and to evaluate the expression of cell adhesion molecules in endometrial cells and tissue fragments under in vitro conditions. Endometrial biopsies were collected from 32 patients. Samples were either digested using collagenase type I, or dissected mechanically. Adhesion of isolated cells and tissue fragments to stripped amniotic membranes and to coverslips coated with ECM components was studied. The expression of beta1 integrins and cadherins was assessed using immunohistochemistry. Collagenase digestion of endometrial biopsies yielded viable single cells. These cells did not adhere to either side of stripped amniotic membranes, and did not show expression of the cell adhesion molecules. In contrast, mechanically fragmented endometrium samples adhered to both sides of stripped amniotic membranes and showed immunohistochemical expression of E- and P-cadherin and integrin subunits alpha2, alpha3, alpha4, alpha5 and alpha6. Amniotic membranes, after stripping of epithelial lining, are suitable to study interactions between endometrial tissue and ECM in functional and structural studies. Endometrial cells after collagenase type I digestion do not adhere to stripped amniotic membrane and have lost expression of beta1 integrins and E- and P-cadherin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Academisch Ziekenhuis Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: van der Linden
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: de Goeij
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Dunselman
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Erkens
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Evers
mesh_terms: D000650:Amnion / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001706:Biopsy; D015820:Cadherins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D017364:Collagenases / Q000378:metabolism; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism*; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016023:Integrins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D007797:Laminin / Q000378:metabolism; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D004338:Drug Combinations; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D016023:Integrins; D007797:Laminin; D011509:Proteoglycans; C093679:Vitrogen; C059485:matrigel; D003094:Collagen; D017364:Collagenases